Method of and system for obtaining oriented control image of weld zone in seam welding apparatus



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June 12, 1951 S. O. EVANS v METHOD OF' AND SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING ORIENTED CONTROL IMAGE OF WELD ZONE IN SEAM WELDING APPARATUS Filed May 3, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 42A L41 l /4 A 2.5' 450 -L f w 4Z? 3 INVENTOR.

Y Sid/ey Evans A Patented June 12, 1951 METHOD OF AND SY STEM FOR OBTAINING ORIENTED `CONTROL IMAGE OF WELD ZONE IN SEAM WELDING APPARATUS Sidley O. Evans, Beaver Falls, Pa., assignor to The Babcock Mayfield, Pa.,

& Wilcox Tube Company, West a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 3, 1949, Serial No. 91,086 6 Claims. (Cl. 219-6) This invention relates to welding apparatus and, more particularly, to progressive seam Welding apparatus including means for providing an operator with a magniied image of the Welding zone and of the seam or cleft edges, whereby great accuracy of edge alignment may be eHected and variations in the Width and alignment of the welding cleft or seam readily detected.

In progressive or continuous pair of metallic edges to be weld united are progressively brought into juxtaposition as they approach a welding zone. In some instances the edges are actually forced together under pressure in the welding zone, as in pressure welding. In fusion welding, the edges may be abutted or may be slightly separated in entering the welding zone to form a Welding groove or gap, and additional weld metal may or may not be supplied to form the joint. Alternatively the fused edges are forced together under pressure to form an upset along the Welding seam. In al1 cases, it is important to the attainment of a sound welded joint that the edges be maintained in a predetermined relation as they enter the welding zone. Furthermore, accurate alignment of the edges in the Welding zone is important.

The welding heat at the weld zone may be furnished in any suitable manner, such as by an electric current, as in resistance welding, or by a gaseous fuel burner, or by 'any type of arc welding. In the welding of the edges by a gaseous fuel burner or by an electric arc, the heat and glare problems involved substantially prevent any direct observation of the welding gap or seam cleft or of the edge alignment as the edges progressively enter the weld Zone. This is particularly true in continuous tube forming operations wherein skelp lengths are progressively formed into the shape of a tube blank having a longitudinal gap or cleft, and passed between squeeze rolls which are set to bring the edges of the cleft into the required relation and alignment as the formed tubing enters the weld zone. The tube blank roll stands just in advance of the welding Zone include a cleft or seam guide, which may be in the form of a circumferential rib on one or more upper rolls, or may be a fixed member. This guide is for the purpose of properly aligning the cleft with the welding instrumentality, such as the electric arc or a gas torch, (in fusion Welding), by rotating the tube blank about its axis. Additionally these rolls are set to bring the cleft width to the desired optimum value as the tube blank enters the weld zone. The squeeze rolls and associated elements, as

seam welding, a

2 Well as the tube blank itself, substantially prevent any view of the edges in the weld zone, looking downstream, even if the heat and glare of the welding heat source did not also substantially prevent such view.

In addition, many welding processes, particularly of the electric arc variety, involve the use of a gaseous medium, other than air, blanketing the weld zone. For example, hydrogen, helium, and other gases have been so used and advantageous results as respects the speed and quality of welding have been attained thereby. To protect the arm from air currents and to prevent contamination of the shielding gas by air, the welding head is surrounded with a suitable enclosing hood, and such hood further obstructs the operators direct observation of the welding conditions.

Moreover, even if the aforementioned obstructions to direct visual observation of the weld zone were not present, it would still be a very diilcult task to adjust the cleft width, the alignment of the cleft With the welding means, and the edge alignment by relying only on such Adirect observation. In ordinary seam welding with the weld members relatively stationary longitudinally of the seam, as well as in progressive or continuous seam welding, the cleft width and edge thickness are of such relatively small magnitude that it is diicult, if not impossible, to detect and correct for minor variations or deviations from the desired cleft width and alignment and the edge alignment.

In view of the foregoing, the present invention is directed to the provision of an oriented operating reference image of the weld Zone, preferably magnied several times so that deviations in seam or cleft width and alignment and of edge alignment can be readily detected and corrected. To this end, the invention arrangement includes an optical system having an optical element in light receiving relation to the weld zone, whereby the element will receive an image of the weld zone, a screen arranged for direct visual observation by the operator of the welding apparatus, and optical means arranged to project the image from the element onto the screen. The source of light is the welding instrumentality, such as an electric arc or a gas flame, both of which have a high percentage of emitted rays Within the visible spectrum. 'Ihe optical means preferably is elective to provide a considerable magnication of the image, so that' deviations in the cleft or seam width and alignment and of the edge alignment can be readily detected from the magnified image of such deviations on the 3 screen, thus providing for ready correction of the weld zone geometry.

As specifically applied to a continuous tube welding apparatus having a tube blank forming roll stand immediately in advance of the welding zone, the invention system includes a mirror mounted between such stand and the weld zone, and adjustable both vertically and angularly about a horizontal axis. This mirror, which is preferably front-silvered to preclude double images, is in light receiving relation tothe weld zone and receives an image of the upstream end of the weld through the open cleft in the tube blank as the latter enters the weld zone. At a substantial distance above this mirror, and in vertical alignment therewith, a second mirror is mounted and likewise is preferably front-silvered. Between the two mirrors, and having its'axis aligned therewith, an adjustable magnifying lens 'unit is mounted. A relatively large screen is mounted downstream of the weld zone and substantially in the horizontal plane of the second or upper mirror.

The lens unit vertically inverts and horizontally reverses the light rays directed vertically'from the lower mirror onto the upper mirror, and the latter directs the divergent rays horizontally toward the screen. The focal length and location of the lens unit are such that the image is brought into focus in the plane of the screen, and the lens unit preferably magnies the image a substantial amount. Consequently, as the operator looks downstream of the tube welding apparatus, he can observe a magnified image of the upstream end of the weld zone. This image is properly oriented vertically, but is reversed horizontally. Optically, the arrangement provides the illusion of actually looking downstream at a mirror reflection of the upstream end of the weld zone. The substantial magnification of the image niagnies any deviations in the ,weld zone geometry, so that accurate correction can be readily eiected. The horizontal reversal is initially slightly confusing, but an operator becomes accustomed thereto in a few minutes so that there is no disadvantage in using the horizontally reversed image as an operating reference. If desired, a compound lens system may be used to correct this horizontal inversion.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide, for welding apparatus of the type including components obstructing direct visual observation of the weld zone, an optical system eifective to provide an oriented operating reference image of the weld zone.

Another object is to provide such a system including means for magnifying the weld zone image.

A further object is to provide such a system which is simple in construction, has a minimum number of 4parts and is readily incorporated in existing'welding apparatus without any substantial modiiication of the latter.

These and other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation view of one sideof a continuous tube welding'apparatus incorporating the invention system;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the screen showing substantially how the welding zone image appears to an operator; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic view illustrating'the-4 opti-1 cal relationships involved, as seen from the side of the tube welding apparatus opposite toV that shown in Fig. l.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention is illustrated, by way of example, as incorporated in a continuous tube welding mill in which the skelp is progressively formed into atube blank having a longitudinal cleft and the cleft edges jvprogressively brought into a welding zone where the edges are weld united to complete the tube. Following the welding, the completed tubing passes, in the usual manner, through additional nishing roll's'wliich straighten and size `the tubing and bring it to the required peripheral contour.

More specifically, the illustrated apparatus effects welding by an electric arc under a blanket of an inert gas, such as helium. The arc is struck between a substantially non-fusible electrode of tungsten or the like, and a blanketing stream of helium is delivered to the weldingzone. To conne the helium blanket at the welding zone, a hood is provided, and this hood offers a further obstruction to the operators visual observation of the welding. Additionally, the rays of the arc in the helium are injurious to eyesight, with even instantaneous exposure of the eyes to the rays resulting in painful burning of the eyeballs requiring extensive medication. Consequently, the hood is either opaque or, if provided with observation openings, has windows made of material which intercepts substantially all the light rays due to the arc. Thus direct visual observation of the weld zone is further inhibited. However, with the invention optical system, an indirect but vertically oriented and preferably magnified image of the weld zone is continually provided for the operator.

Referring to Fig. 1, the tube welding apparatus l0 includes a frame il on which are mounted tube blank guiding roll stands l2, I3 of conventional construction. These stands receive the tube blank from preceding stands which progressively shape the flat skelp into an elongated tube blank having a longitudinally extending cleft. Stands l2 and i3 include a cleft guide (not shown) in the form of a circumferential rib engaging the cleft edges. To align the cleft with the welding electrode, these stands are mounted for angular adjustment,about the tube axis, in a bearing 8, such adjustment being effected by suitable means indicated at 9. The angular adjustment serves to rotate the tube blank about its axis to properly align the cleft with the welding electrode. The tube blank 4E), as it is formed, passes to the left (Fig. l) through the for/ming stands and then between squeeze rolls I5 which force the cleft edges together underpressure at the welding zone and just beyond the welding electrode 5i).

The squeeze rolls i5 are located immediately downstream of stand i3, so that the latter prevents any view of the upstream end of the weld zone. The latter1 is enclosed in an opaque hood ld, which maybe mounted for verticalimovement and have a exiblebla-nket l of asbestos or the like on its lower edge to assure substantially gas-tight enclosure of the weld zone. HoodV I4 may vhave suitable rayV intercepting windows l1,

ifdesired.

The welding apparatus, insofarv as'- the arc producing parts thereof Vare concerned, is enclosedV within hood lli.v The apparatus-may include a' suitable combined nozzle and electrode guide18 for positioning thetungstenl orothernon-consumable electrode in proper arcing relation to the edges to be weld united. In the instant case, nozzle I8 is arranged to direct an annular stream of an inert gas, such as helium, around the arc and in blanketing relation to the weld zone. The adjustment controls for the electrode position and the helium now are generally indicated at I9 on top of hood I4.

In the welding zone, squeeze rolls I5 press the edges of the cleft into abutting relation, as these edges are fused by the heat of the arc, to close the tube blank cleft. Leaving the weld zone, tube 40 may be sprayed with a suitable coolant as it passes to successive sets of finishing roll stands indicated at 2 I, 22, 23 and 24. These stands size and straighten the tube, bringing the cross-sectional shape to the desired roundness and the external tube dimensions to the desired values. In addition, any bends along the tube are removed so that a straight length of tubing emerges from the finishing stands for passage to cuttting apparatus (not shown) which severs the continuous tubing into selected lengths. The arrangements so far described represent known apparatus and practice in the continuous tube welding art.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be apparent that, due to the location of stand I3 immediately adjacent the weld seam, it is a practical impossibility for the machine operator to obtain an adequate View of the upstream end of the welding zone, even if the latter were not enclosed by hood I4. Were these restrictions removed, an adequate observation of the weld zone would still be substantially impossible due to the heat and glare of the arc, without the use of goggles, etc.

Such adequate and unobstructed observation, however, is a practical necessity, as the production of a good quality weld is vitally dependent upon maintaining the welding cleft width and alignment, the edge alignment, and the electrodeto-work spacing at predetermined values within very close limits. While the electrode spacing can be fairly well controlled automatically by arc voltage responsive mechanism, the other factors can be maintained at preset values only with great care and continuous manipulation. For example, the edge alignment and weld cleft width and alignment are controlled by adjustment of squeeze rolls I5, and these may be preset for a certain set of values. However, due to undulations in the tubing and other variable factors, the desired cleft values and edge alignment are not always maintained, and continuousk adjustment of squeeze rolls I5 and of roll stands I2, I3 is rendered necessary. Moreover, with certain smaller tubing sizes, the relative dimensions involved are so small that even direct visual observations are insufficient as a determination of departures from the preset values. For example, in the manufacture of l in. diameter tubing, the wall thickness may be 0.049 in. and the cleft Width as the tube blank enters the weld zone will be between 0.005 and 0.040 in. depending on the conditions desired.

The optical system of the present invention overcomes these several difficulties and provides an operator, standing adjacent controls I 9 and looking toward finishing roll stands 2I-24, with an oriented image of the upstream end of the welding zone. This image is greatly magnified so that deviations in the cleft width and alignment and in the edge alignment are readily apparent and can be accurately corrected or compensated.

by mirror 30 reflected onto screens 35,

Referring again to Fig. 1, a relatively small mirror 25 is mounted on the lower end of a frame 2S secured to frame I I between stand I3 and hood I4. Mirror 25 is mounted, for angular adjustment about an axis perpendicular to the tube axis, on a horizontal rod which is vertically adjustable along slots in frame 26. Mirror 25 is so adjusted as to pick up light rays from the welding zone passing through and adjacent to the cleft in the tube blank as it leaves stand I3 to enter hood I4, and to direct these rays vertically to a second mirror 3G. The latter is likewise both angularly and vertically adjustable on the upper section of frame 25 through the medium of a horizontal shaft 3I and slots 32 in the frame receiving the shaft.

Mirror 30 is considerably larger than mirror 25, for a reason described hereinafter, and both mirrors are preferably front silvered to avoid double images or refraction. The rays striking mirror 30 are reflected horizontally onto a screen 35 mounted on a frame 33 secured to brackets 34 on the left end (Fig. 1) of frame II. Screen 35 may be a standard projection screen, such as used with movie or slide projectors, and is so located that the operator at hood I4 sees the image of the upstream end of the welding zone exactly as if he were looking downstream of the tube blank from a point between stand I3 and hood I4.

As stated, a magnified image is projected onto screen 35 so that the operator may more readily detect deviations in cleft width and alignment and in edge alignment. For this purpose, an adjustable focus and magnification lens arrangement is adjustably mounted on frame 25 between mirrors 25 and 30, so that the image received by mirror 25 is enlarged, inverted vertically, and reversed horizontally between mirrors 25 and 3i). This assures proper orienting of the image on screen 35 as well as magnification thereof.

The optical relations involved will be clear from Fig. 3, which shows the optical system looking at the side of apparatus I0 opposite from that shown in Fig. 1. The light rays from the different parts of the weld zone reaching mirror 25 from beneath the edge of hood I4 and through the cleft in the tubing as it enters hood I4, are bounded by upper line 4I and lower line 42. If these rays were refiected by mirror 25 directly onto mirror 3S and without the interposition of lens system 45, the image on screen 35 would be inverted and would be substantially the same size as that received by mirroi' 25 or possibly slightly enlarged. However, as seen in Fig. 3, lens system 45 inverts the image and magnies it, so that line 4I is still the upper line and line 42 the lower line, as the rays strike screen 35.

Fig. 2 shows the image of the upstream end of the weld zone as it appears on screen 35, and is traced from a reduced photograph of the image on the screen. Actually, the image is several times the size of that depicted in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 2, the squeeze rolls are shown at i5 as engaging tubing 40 to press the edges 46, 45 of cleft 41 into abutting relation as they pass beneath the arcing end of electrode 50. The arc is shown at as it appears on screen 35. It will be noted that deviations from normal of the width and alignment of cleft 41 and of the alignment of edges 46, 46 can be readily detected and corrected, due to the greatly magnified image on screen 35. If desired, scales and guide lines may be provided on. the .screen for.. greateru ease-.findetecting fsuch deviations. J Such correctionis ete'ctedby change..

ing thespacing of:therolls.off stands |2,.1l3',by

angularly adjustingthese stands about the tube blank axis, and by..adjusting.rolls:.:l 5.

The described optical..system;.has..proven veryY effective in practice and has metwithwidespread..

response as solving a hitherto'insoluble difficulty. L

It is simple, .inexpensivefreliable and efficient.

While a speciiic embodiment ofzthe .invention has been shown and describedfin..detailto.v illus-l trate the invention principles; .itswillbe underl stood thattheinvention may be embodied otherwise without departing fromsuch principles.

I claim:

1. In the tube forming and welding apparatus tem effective to provide an orientedl operating.

reference image or the weld zonev and comprising,.inV combination, an optical'element between Vthe weldzone and said stand and in light receiving relation to the upstream endof the .weld

zone, whereby an image of .the upstream end o1" the weld zone will be received by saidelement;

a screen arranged for direct visualobservation by an operator of the apparatus; and optical.:

means arranged to projectthe image. from said element onto said screen.

2.V In tube formingand .welding apparatus having a stand of tube. forming rolls.;immediately upstream from the weld. zone'. and -obstructingf direct visual observation of the upstream endA o1" the weld zone, the weld Zone including a source of rays in the visible spectrum, an optical systemf effective to provide an oriented operating .reference image ofthe weld.zone and,.comprising, in combination, a mirror between. the weld zone and said stand and in light receiving relationztoY the upstream end of the lweld zone, vwhereby an image of the upstreamend of. the weld zone will' be receivedby said'mirror; a screen .arranged or direct'visual observation by. an operator of.

the apparatus; and optical means,.including.ka f

second mirror, arranged to project the. image from said first-named mirror onto said screen.:

3. Inthe tube forming and welding apparatus. having a stand of'tube forming rolls immediately;- upstream from the .weld zoneand obstructing directV visual observation of the upstream end of theweld Zone, the weld zone including'a source of rays'in the visible spectrum; anoptical .sys-

tem effective to providean oriented operating reierence imagefof. the weldzzone and..comprising,.. in combination, a mirrorbetweenthe weld-zone` and said stand and in light receiving relation to the upstream end of the weld zone, whereby. an.;

image of the upstream' end of the weld .zone

- will be received by said mirror; a .screen vvar:-

ranged downstreamofthe weld :zone .for direct visual observation byl'an operator. Aof then.:

apparatus; and opticalmeans;includingea lens..A

system, arranged -to projectmthe image from@y said mirror onto--said screen.

image of the weld zone andcomprising, .inlcombination, a irstlmirrorbetween theweldzone and saidl=stand andl in lightnreceiving relation to the` upstream-fend ofthe-:weld:Zona-whereby an image of lthe. upstream endof-lthefweldfzone will bereceived-:by saidmirrorg a screenarranged downstreamfof the weldzone .for/directvisual observation by an operatoriof the apparatus; andoptical means; @includinggaA .lensv system and-- a .secondl mirror, :arranged-.toproject the image .from said element ontosaid screen. Y

5.; In `tube forming vand-welding apparatus -havingfa stand-'fofv tubeiorming rolls immediately upstreamk from the .weld zone andA obstructing direct: -visual-observation of the upstreamV vendofthe weld zone, the weldzone including a source of rays-inithe visible spectrum, an optical systeml effective-to provide an-'oriented operating Ireference image of the weld zone and comprising,

in `combination, Ia rst y mirror between .the weld zone andsaid stand and-in lightreceivingf relation .toltheupstream end of the weldlzone, whereby an 'image of Vthe upstream end of 'the -weld zone will be received .bysaid mirror; a screen arranged downstreamgoftlie v/eldzone `forV direct visual observation .of the-apparatus; andra lens systeml arranged to magnify the image from said mirror and direct lthe Llight Arays onto'A a second mirror above the apparatus; said second mirror reflecting-the light rays `onto `said screen;

6..:In electric arc tube forming and welding apparatus'offthe type -in which a pair of metallic edges; initially .separatedY by'a cleft, are' progressively brought into juxtaposition and weld united in a .weld-Zona and including 1 components obstructingf` direct lvisual-observation ofthe weld zone duringa welding apparatus, the method ol controlling. the cleftfwidth, cleft alignment and edge. alignmentwhich' comprises using the arc as a light source--toprovide an kimage of the upstream end of the weld-zone; orientingand magnifying .1suchi1nage; projecting the oriented and magniedimage4 onto a screen arranged -for direct.

observationby` ansoperator; and utilizing such image. .as-.a referencev in adjusting the apparatus components to control thecleftwidth, cleft alignment and edge alignment. l.

SIDLEY O'. EVANS.

REFERENCES CITED y The following references are of record in the le of thispatent:

UNITEDSTATES. PATENTS 

